This application claims the priority of German patent document 10 2004 011 330.0, filed Mar. 9, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a knee protection device for occupants of a motor vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,326 discloses a known knee protection device initially mentioned type, which has a knee impact wall that is held in position by a console below an energy-absorbing steering column device. The knee impact wall has a carrier wall made of metal which is adjoined by a pad made of foam material, which is covered by a plastic material. A comparable arrangement is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,938,821.
German Patent Document DE 296 16 485 U1 relates to a safety device for a motor vehicle having a knee stop for occupants in the area of a dashboard in an occupant compartment of the motor vehicle. The knee stop has a knee impact wall with an extruded profile and a covering part for the latter which extends adjacent to the occupants' knees and consists of a hard plastic foam.
One object of the invention is to provide a knee protection device of the type described above, which is simple and effective, and which is easily manufactured.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the knee protection apparatus according to the invention, which includes a knee impact wall having an inner shell, an outer shell and a foam material pad, which can be produced in a simple manner and can be assembled to a unit. The object of the invention is also promoted by the profile of a U-shaped cross-section as well as the first connection bend and the second connection bend. Finally, if designed correspondingly (so that the deformation element bears the main deformation load and the knee impact wall bears a partial deformation load), the knee impact wall and the deformation element provide a highly effective and targeted protection for the occupants of the motor vehicle.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.